[bal.us.ter] n [F balustre, fr. It balaustro, fr. balaustra wild pomegranate flower, fr. L balaustium, fr. Gk balaustion; fr. its shape] (1602) 1: an object or vertical member (as the leg of a table, a round in a chair back, or the stem of a glass) having a vaselike or turned outline
2: an upright often vase-shaped support for a rail